Artificial ear-drum.



No. 334.259. PATENTED new. so, 1906.

1 J. B. CAMPBELL.

ARTIFICIAL EAR DRUM.

APPLIGATION FILED DEO.7,1905- j W/TNEssEs -L l 6 INVENTOR W K BY MATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT orrron.

ARTIFICIAL EAREDRUM.

I Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 30. 1906.

Application filed December '1. 1905. Serial No. 290.689.

To on whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN B. CAMPBELL, a citizen of the United States,residing in the borough of Brooklyn, New York city, in the county ofKings and State of New York, have invented certainnew and usefulImprovements in Artificial Ear-Drums, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to artificial ear-drums and has for its object toprovide a device adapted to be readily placed in or removed from theauditory canal which will benefit defective hearing due to the loss ofthe natural ear-drum or impairment of the auditory nerve or auditorytroubles of cat'arrhal origin. My device reduces to a minimum thepossibility of irritating the delicate auditory canal. It isself-ventilating vand causes a gentle stimulation of the vitality of theinner ear and the passage where it is placed. It concentrates thesound-vibrations at the most important point. Though made of delicatelyresilient material, it is so constructed as to provide rigidity andeffective strength.

Figure 1 of the drawings is perspective view of my device. enlarged sideview Fig. 3 is an enlarged perspective view'of the modification, thefront half being cut away to disclose the diaphragm.

Referringto Fig. 1 of the drawings, a is the an enlarged Fig. 2 is anartificial ear-drum, formed with the external sound-collector b ofconcave funnel shape. The inner portion of the ear-drum is anovoidchamber resonator 0, having a rounded end. The junction between thechamber 0 and the sound-collector b is an annular constriction d,forming the outer part of said chamber 0 (when placed in the auditorypassage) and the inner part of said sound-collector 1).

Small apertures are indicated by the letters e e. In Fig. 2 the chambera terminates in a small protruding bulb f. In Fig. 3 a minute rod orwire g is shown secured at the inner end-of the device by cement h andcarrying at its free end a small disk 'i.

My device is made of soft thin rubber or similar resilient material thatit may conform to the auditory passage where it is adjacent thereto,retaining its shape, but not emphasizing the ressure. It is designed tobe inserted within the auditory passage, so that itsapex may contactwith the natural ear-drum. The outer funnel or cup 1) serves to collectthe sound-Waves and transmit of a modification; and

them to the inner ovoid resonating chamber 0, where they are gatheredand directed toward the apex or rounded end. The apertures e e serve toventilate the auditory passage. The annular constriction (1, formedbetween the outer sound-collector b and the inner resonating chamber 0,strengthens the structure and tends to prevent collapse thereof, thuspermitting a softer and thinner material to be used than would bepossible without this strengthening feature. The annular constriction dfacilitates the inser-- tion and withdrawal of the device, as itprovides an annular ledge to be engaged with an instrument by which thedevice may be guided. The auditory and liable to be irritated by contactwith a large foreign surface. The annular constriction (1 provides amaterial space between the artificial ear-drum and the walls of theauditory canal, reducing the area of contact between the artificialear-drum and said walls and affording effective ventilation through theouter apertures e e.

.In the modification illustrated in Fig. 2 the small protruding bulb fwhere it joins the chamber c provides another annular exterior recess,again. lessening the area of the contact between the artificial ear-drumand the walls of the auditory canal. The small disk *5 may .be made ofsilver or other metal or of wood, rubber, or fibrous material. It issuspended on the minute support g, made of silver wire or some similarsubstance, anchored by means of a small quantity of cement at the apexof the resonating chamber c or at the apex of the small protruding bulbf, as illustrated in Fig. 3. The diaphragm or disk '5 serves to magnifythe sound-vibrations at the apex of the device.

Where impaired hearing is due to the loss of the natural ear-drum, myartificial eardrum in the form shown in either Figs. 1 or 2 should beplaced in contact with the ossicles. Experiment will show whether theform shown in Fig. 1 or that shown in Fig. 2 is most beneficial to thepatient. Where the natural ear-drum is not lost, my device, either inthe form shown in Fig. 1 or Fig. 2, as maybe determined by experiment,should be located so that the apex of the inner chamber concanal is verydelicate tacts with the tympanum proper. 'To accentuate the sound wavesor vibrations if the relief is not sufiicient, the small suspendeddiaphragm or diskt' maybe employed anchored at the apex of the innerchamber, whetherv it IIO be in the form shown in Fig. 1 or Fi 2. Insteadof the cement used to secure t e wire g, carrying the diaphragm i, anysimilar substance may be employed, or the rubber at the apex may andhold the end of the rod g.

My device, while soft and resilient, has a marked rigidity due to theannular constriction (1 and to the annular groove where the bulb f joinsthe inner chamber, if such bulb is employed. The lessening so far aspossible the area of contact with the walls of the audif tory canalserves to keep the passage cool and normal.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. An artificial ear-drum of resilient material having an outersound-collector ol funnel shape, an inner ovoid chamber, and an annularconstriction or recess where the soundcollector joins the ovoid chamber.

2. In an artificial ear-drum, an outer sound-collector, an inner ovoidchamber, and an annular recess between the sound-collector and the ovoidchamber to strengthen the structure.

3. In an artificial ear-drum, an outer fun nel-shaped sound-collector,an interior ovoid chamber open to the sound-collector, and an annularrecess between the sound-collector and the interior chamber.

4. In an artificial ear-drum, an outer sound-collector of lesseningdiameter toward the interior, and an inner chamber opening into thesound-collector, having its greatest diameter at its middle andnarrowing gradually toward its apex and toward its orifice.

5. In an artificial ear-drum, an outer f n l sound-collector providedwith an aperture or apertures, and an inner ovoid chamber provided withan aperture or apertures.

6. In an artificial ear-drum, an outer be slightly thickened to receivesoundcollector, an inner chamber, and an annular recess intermediatebetween the sound-collector and the chamber, havin apertures removedfrom the tory passage.

7. In an artificial ear-drum, an outer sound-collector, and an innerovoid chamber having a bulb at its apex.

8. In an artificial ear-drum, an outer sound-collector and an innerchamber having an annular recess at their juncture, and a bulb at theapex of the inner chamber form ing a slight annular recess where itswall joins the wall of the inner chamber.

9. An artificial ear-drum of resilient material having an apex at itsinner end, and a disk or diaphragm secured on a support anchored at saidapex.

10. An artificial ear-drum of resilient material having a vibratory diskor diaphragm supported at the apex of the eardrum.

11. An artificial ear-drum formed with an apex and having a disk ordiaphragm suspended from the walls of the eardrum by a support anchoredat the apex.

Signed at the borough of Manhattan, New York city, in the county of NewYork and State of New York, this 5th day of December, A. D. 1905.

walls of the audi- JOHN B. CAMPBELL.

Witnesses:

JosEPH A. STETSON, MINNIE KAUFFMAN.

